Fellowships

Legal Fellow

Background: Equality Now works for the protection and promotion of the human rights of women and girls around the world. Working with grassroots women’s and human rights organizations and individual activists since 1992, Equality Now documents violence and discrimination against women and mobilizes international action to support efforts to stop these abuses.

In our global efforts to secure women’s rights, strategies we use include:

international advocacy through the Equality Action Network, with membership of over 35,000 groups and individuals in over 160 countries who call on governments to guarantee women’s rights;

campaigns to raise awareness by highlighting individual cases of pervasive and severe violations against women and girls;

building partnerships and coalitions with grassroots women’s rights groups to amplify local and global advocacy;

strengthening international and regional human rights law and mechanisms that address the rights of women and girls;

conducting strategic litigation at national, regional and international levels to establish legal precedents on women’s and girls’ rights;

About the Fellowship: Equality Now is seeking a Legal Fellow, preferably for a one-year, full-time period, on a rolling basis and based in any or each of our New York City, London or Nairobi offices. (The Nairobi office is no longer accepting applications for fellowships to be undertaken from September 2014 – September 2015.)

Unfortunately, Equality Now cannot financially support any fellowship but would give its full support to a potential fellow’s application for funding from other sources (e.g. a law school, outside fellowship etc.) that should include health care coverage and any other costs. We kindly ask that applicants identify potential funding sources before applying. Please note that we will also not be able to support visa applications or provide housing although we may be able to make suggestions for accommodation options. We are also not able to take self-funded fellows.

Responsibilities: Legal Fellows play an integral role at Equality Now. Their work would include:

researching and analyzing issues of discrimination and violence against women and girls within our four main program areas using a human rights framework

working with the different program officers and directors on key projects

drafting memos, advocacy papers, briefing papers, fact sheets, correspondence and submissions to human rights bodies and helping with media as needed to make a meaningful impact on women and girls’ lives

Qualifications:

Juris Doctor/Law degree

fluency in English and at least one other language preferred (particularly our working languages of Spanish, Arabic or French)

demonstrated background and commitment to enhancing the rights of girls and women worldwide

self-motivated, capable of legal analytical work and have an ability to write clearly and effectively

How to Apply: Please send a cover letter, resume, one legal writing sample, and the names of at least two references to fellowships@equalitynow.org

Note: Applicants should indicate "Legal Fellow, Applicant last name” as the subject of emailed applications. The cover letter and resume should be sent as separate attachments. Please also state which office you are applying to or have a preference for.